Article handling apparatus



y 1954 H- E. ANDREWS ET AL ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Horace E. Comer Dona/d MBrown INVENTORS.

S w w n A E y m H Filed June 29, 1953 y 1954 H- E. ANDREWS ET AL 2,684,751

ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Harry E .A ndrews Horace E. Comer IN V EN TORS,

y 7, 1954 H. E. ANDREWS ET AL 51 ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS 7 Filed June 29, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Harry E. Andrews Horace E .Comer Donald M. Brown INVENTORS BY W MW Fig. 3

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 H. E. ANDREWS ET AL ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Harry EAndreh's Horace E. Comer Donald M. Brown INVENTORS.

BY WW 3M V Ema; w m

Jul 27, 1954 Filed June 29, 1953 Patented July 27, 1954 UNITED STATES OFFICE ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Harry E. Andrews, Horace ElComer and Donald M. Brown, Phoenix,,.Ariz.

10 Claims.

This invention relates generally to article handling, and pertains more particularly to improved apparatus primarily directed to expediting the handling of articles while requiring a minimum of floor space.

An object of this invention is to provide an irnproved article handling apparatus enabling the production packing of large amounts of commodities in a small area of small space with a minimum of hand labor.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for handling articles which is so designed and constructed as to be readily adaptable to numerous types of articles.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved article handling apparatus which operates, in a closed or continuous cycle and is constructed of polygonal configuration for presenting a series of alternate input and discharge stations.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved form of article handling apparatus which incorporates the use of pivotally suspend ed buckets and operatively associated cam means for positioning the buckets in proper relation at the. discharge stations for ejection of the coinmodities disposed within the buckets.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of an article handling apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the assem bly shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken substantial- 1y along the plane of section line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4' is a vertical section taken substantially along the section line i-i of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view partially in section showing one corner of the main frame of the apparatus; A

"Figure 6 is a longitudinal section taken through one of the bucket members;

Figure '7 is an elevational view showing the chain slack take-up mechanism;

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 88 of Fig.- ure 7; and.

Figure 9' is a perspective view of the reinforcing plate shown in Figures 'land 8.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1, reference numeral it indicates generally the main frame or trackway portion of the machine which may be of ubstantially rectangular configuration and whose opposite sides [2 and M present input stations, while the other sides l6 and i8 present discharge stations, in a manner presently apparent. Each corner of the frame is provided with asprocket wheel 29 and it will be readily appreciated that one of these sprocket wheels is driven by any suitable means, such as an electric motor or the like, so as to move the chain member 22 in a clockwise fashion about the frame.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 2 and 3; it willbe seen that the frame or trackway iii-consists of channel members 24 and 26'which are disposed in baclr-to-back relation and are slightly spaced in the manner shown to provide a trackway therebetween which receives the chain 22, as will be readily appreciated. These channel members are suitably secured to the upper end of' the various support post members 28' which maintain the frame in an elevated position with respect to the supporting floor surface. It will be readily appreciated that the frame iii need not necessarily be positively connected to the support members 28 but may merely rest thereon since the weight of the assembly is such as to allow this manner of positioning the frame.

Corner pieces 36 are provided at each corner of the frame for securing the various channel members together to maintain the rectangular configuration of the frame, but it is to be noted that the frame is split, as indicated by the reference character 32, at opposite sides at the input stations thereof. As seen most clearly in Figures 7-9, the abutting portions of the frame it] are supported by the reinforcing plate 3 1 which is suitably secured by fastening bolts 35 to one abutting' end of the frame for projection therefrom beneath the other abutting end thereof. The reinforcing plate 34 is provided with elongated slots 38' through which the fastening bolts 38 project so that the plate may be projected farther from the frame end to which it is secured beneath the other abutting frame end, the reinforcing plate 39" to properly align the frame section. Each frame end is provided. with bracket plate members 4& which are suitably apertured for reception. of the adjusting bolt t2 which is provided with. the lock nut-members i l, 46: and 48 in the manner shown, so that the adjacent ends of the frame sections may be spaced more or less to increase the area of the frame when it is necessary to take up slack in the chain member 22 for proper tensioning of the same.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 2-4, it will be seen that the chain 22 has suitably secured thereto at longitudinally spaced points therealong a number of uprights 50 which are provided at their upper ends with the crossarms for extension beyond the confines of the channel members 2 and 25 in the manner shown. The manner of securement of the uprights 5b to the chains 22 may be through the medium of pins 5t rigidly secured to portions of the chain and snugly received within a lower recessed end of the uprights. lhe bucket members indicated generally by the reference character 5% are provided at their upper or open end with the bracket ears 53 which are apertured to receive the reduced end portions 89 of the cross-arms and the double lock nut assembly maintains these bucket members on the cross-arm though pivotally suspended therefrom.

The uprights 5:: are provided adiacent their lower end with the ball bear'ng members it whose diameter is slightly less than the width between tr e web of the channel members 36 and the purpose of this construction being to assure ver tical positioning of the uprights til. Additionally, the guide members as and 5%; are provided at opposite sides of the uprights being secured as by the posts iii to respective channel in inbers, and it will be noted that wherever the guide members are interrupted, the ends of the succeeding guide members in the direction of travel of the bucket members are outwardly flared as indicated by the reference character '52 so as to make absolutely certain that the uprights are properly guided with respect to the trackways.

Since the weight of the bucket niembes and their manner or suspension from the cross-arms 52 is such as to tip the uprights tit in a direction opposite the direction of travel of the chain 22, the brace rods E i are provided which are rigidly secured at their upper ends to the uprights 5d and are provided at their lower ends with the bearing plate members it resting upon the chains 22 in the manner shown, additional cross-brace members iii bein provided for imparting absolute rigidity to the assembly. To lend supper to the chain between the sprocket members 2d, the strips ti! provided directly therebeheath in the manner shown so as to support the intermediate portions of the chain and prevent its sagging.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 2, 3 and it will be seen that each of the bucket members is provided at its forward or open end with a belied or flared mouth 32 and that its rearward end is tapered as indicated by the reference character 3 and provided with the cover member rib pivoted to the bucket. Each bucket is of generally circular configuration and is formed by bending a sheet or" material in circular fashion but leaving the adjacent end 88 in slightly spaced elation so as to provide a longitudinally extending slot at the lower portion of each bucket. The inner side of each bucket is provided with a laterally Xtending rod 98 which has journaled on its free end a roller 92 which is engageable with the cam mechanism indicated generally by the reference character 98 and which includes the inclined or ramp portion dd, the initial horizontal portion 9% and the horizontal guide portion Hi6. Intermediate the extent of the horizontal guide portion I00, the frame is provided with a support member Hi2 extending outwardly on either side thereof to forrna support or base for the upright bracket arms 5% which carry the substantially circular ejector plates IE6 at their upper ends. t will be seen that the ejector plates iilii are of slightly less di meter than the internal diameter of the buckets 53 so that the plates may readily pass therethrough, the celled or flared mouths of the bucket members ensuring proper projection of the plate within the bucket. Of course, the bracket arms li t are in register with the longitudinal slots in the lower portion of the buckets, as shown most clearly in Figure 3.

In operation, operators will be positioned at the input station sides 52 and i i of the assembly for feeding commodities into the bucket members, in this respect, it being noted that the operators may double up at each input side of the machine, that is, one inside and one outside, without fear of interference with one another. It is preferred that the cover members 86 of each bucket be spring loaded or weighted so as to prevent the weight of the commodity from opening these cover members, it being appreciated that the taper or angularity on the rearward portion of each bucket is such that the weight of the cover members 35 tends to operate in a closing fashion in the normal free suspended position of the bucket having the commodities disposed therein. The buckets pass around the trackway under influence of the chain 22 until their rollers 92 engage the inclined ramp portion 526 of the cam assembly til which will elevate the buckets to a horizontal position, as shown in Figure 2, untithey are received in the horizontal guide portions i353 which are formed to partially surround the rollers 92 and prevent lateral shifting of the buckets so that they are positively aligned with the ejector plates ltd. At any convenient point, the sack or bag members its are slipped over the rearward end of the bucket so that when the ejector plates force the commodities outwardly of the buckets, the commodities will be bagged, the bags dropping to a suitable conveyor belt (not shown) beneath the frame assembly H) for transportation to a desired location. Of course, it will be clear that the tapering configuration of the rearward portion of each of the buckets enables the bag members 293 to be easily slid thereon.

For the purpose of simplicity, only a few bucket members are shown on the chain but it is to be understood that the entire extent thereof is so provided.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A device for conveying articles comprising, a closed trackway having alternate input and discharge stations at spaced points therealong, means for carrying commodities along said trackway, means for moving the first means, and means for automatically discharging commodities loaded in the first means at the input station from the same at said discharge stations, the

second mentioned means including an endless flexible element disposed in vertically spaced relation to said trackway, said first means including bucket members pivotally carried adjacent their open ends by said flexible element and provided at their other ends with hinged covers, said bucket members being suspended normally in an angular position, and means at said discharge stations for elevating said bucket members to a horizontal position.

2. A device for conveying articles comprising, a closed trackway having alternate input and discharge stations at spaced points therealong, means for carrying commodities along said trackway, means for moving the first means, and means for automatically discharging commodities loaded in the first means at the input station from the same at said discharge stations, the first means including bucket members pivotally suspended adjacent their open ends and provided at their other ends with hinged covers, said bucket members being suspended normally in an angular position, and means at said discharge stations for elevating said bucket members to a horizontal position, the last mentioned means including a cam track adjacent said trackway.

3. A device for conveying articles comprising, a closed trackway having alternate input and discharge stations at spaced points therealong, means for carrying commodities along said trackway, means for moving the first means, and means for automatically discharging commodities loaded in the first means at the input station from the same at said discharge stations, the first means including bucket members pivotally suspended adjacent their open ends and provided at their other ends with hinged covers, said bucket members being suspended normally in an angular position, and means at said discharge stations for elevating said bucket members to a horizontal position, said bucket members being longitudinally split, and the last mentioned means including an ejector member disposed in the path of movement of said bucket members for passage therethrough, said ejector members being supported by bracket arms of less width than the split in said bucket members enabling the arms to pass therethrough.

4. In a commodity handling apparatus, a rectangular frame formed by a pair of spaced channel members placed in back-to-back relation, a sprocket disposed at each corner of said frame, a chain trained over said sprockets and passing between said channel members, a series of uprights secured to said chain at longitudinally spaced points therealong, a cross-arm secured to the upper end of each of said uprights, bucket members pivotally suspended from said crossarms, cam tracks positioned at opposite sides of said frame, ejector means positioned at said opposite side of the frame, means on said bucket members engageable with said cam tracks for positioning the bucket members for operation by said ejector means, whereby articles disposed in said bucket members at the other sides of said frame will be ejected at said opposite sides of the frame.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said means comprises rollers carried laterally of said bucket members.

6. The combination of claim 4 wherein certain of said pairs of channel members are extensibly interconnected for effecting slack take-up on said chains.

'7. The combination of claim 4 wherein guide members are provided in vertically spaced relation to each of said channel members for guidably receiving said uprights therebetween.

8. The combination of claim 4 wherein said bucket members are pivotally suspended adjacent their open ends and are provided at their opposite ends with hinged covers, said bucket members being suspended normally in an angular position, said cam tracks operating to dispose said bucket members in a horizontal position.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said bucket members are split to present longitudinal slots, said ejector means being supported by bracket arms of less width than said slots enabling the arms to pass therethrough.

10. A device for conveying articles comprising, a closed trackway having alternate input and discharge stations at spaced points therealong, means for carrying commodities along said trackway, means for moving the first means, said first means including bucket members pivotally suspended adjacent their open ends and provided at their other ends with hinged covers, said bucket members being suspended normally in an angular position, means at said discharge stations for elevating said bucket members to a horizontal position, and means at said discharge stations operable when said buckets are disposed horizontally to automatically discharge commodities therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

